Team USA -- USA Men's Basketball

Re: USA Men's National Team

Im sure theyll put together a horrible collection of players for international play.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

Good thread. Here are the players from that list who are definitely NOT participating, either in next weekend's mini-camp or the FIBA tournament:

Gilbert Arenas
Joe Johnson
Brad Miller
Lamar Odom
Chris Paul
Paul Pierce
Dwyane Wade
Greg Oden

and probably Marion, it sounds like.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

So that's 6 of 12 players from last year's team that are returning...both of the guys that went to Asia for the pretournament games but didn't make the final team (Arenas and Bowen) are gone too.

I can't see Durant, Redick, or Miller making the team. Who are the final two cuts. They need defenders, so Chandler has a good shot of making it.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

Interesting set of point guards. Jason Kidd probably is the best offensive player of the three, Billups the best defender but Deron Williams may be the best all-around player of the three. I think I would take Williams and Billups to play defense on the perimeter and agitate the three point shot, which seems to be much more important in international basketball. On the other hand, Kidd's style probably meshes better with Kobe Bryant, Carmello Anthony and Lebron James.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

A SueB sighting Glad to see your still alive


As for the USA team I really like the players on this years roster. What we've lacked the past couple tournaments is a player like Jason Kidd. If anybody remembers when we played the last time in the FIBA Americas tournament Kidd was on that team. And we just blasted every team in our way. He ran the offense to perfection. We even routed the Argentina team that would win the Olympics the following summer. But Kidd didn't play in the Olympics through injury. We have too many point guards who think score first. Kidd is a player who will gladly pass up open shots to get an even easier shot for his teammate.

If I was picking the final 12 it would look like this:

Guards:
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Chauncey Billups
Jason Kidd
Deron Williams
Michael Redd

Forwards and Centers:
Carmelo Anthony
Dwight Howard
Chris Bosh
Shane Battier
Amare Stoudemire
Kevin Durant

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

Just out of curiousity, for this FIBA tourney, does the US's group have any countries it should be worried about?

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

Anyone watch the intra-squad game on Fox Sports last night?

Pretty entertaining.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

I was wondering if they would show that, but I couldn't find any TV info announced before I left for the trip I'm on, so I didn't set a timer to record it. Oh, well. Maybe it'll be re-aired.

As for the question about the US having any challenging opposition within its group, Brazil is certainly a team to worry about, and I think Venezuela is probably the other team that might be problematic. In the other group, obviously, Argentina is the favorite. Only the two finalists qualify automatically for the Olympics.

The format doesn't have knockout stages until the semifinals, so every game is important to establish the seeding. You absolutely can't afford to mess up and have to play Argentina in the semifinals.

But it seems to me this US team should make it through here.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

I'd cut the following:

Chandler = Having some taller guys like Howard, Amare, and Bosh kinda make me feel theres no need.

Miller = Good scrimmage, but doubt he'll cut it later...

Tayshaun + Chauncey = sorry but cannot cut it on an international level

Reddick + Deron = Need I say more?

My honest opinion = Lebraon = He should be cut because he ruined things for the team in Japan last year. He is too turnover prone. He hogs the ball at the worst times, makes horrible passes etc....Seriously he should be cut. But of course because of his name he won't be.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

So you'd take Heinrich over Billups and Williams? Heinrich is not worthy to be on this team. He's a scrappy player but he doesn't bring anything to the team. He couldn't hit the side of a barn last year in Japan. And he is most certainly not as skilled as Billups or Williams. If I were coach I'd always have either Williams or Kidd on the floor at all times. They are the two best ball distributors we have in the US.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

Billups didnt do nothing last year for try outs. Heinrich was not that great, and Id rank him well behind Paul last year in Japan at PG. But Id take him over Billups, thats for sure. Billups is a great player in the NBA, I just dont think he is great for our inter'ntl group of boys. My opinion I guess. I'd take williams over Billups, and perhaps Heinrich IF he proved it in the exhibition games prior.

 

Re: USA Men's National Team

I don't know how you can even think about taking Heinrich over Williams, and the only way you take him over Billups is if you want shooting over defense. Otherwise it's not even close. Did you see the playoffs? Bruce Bowen couldn't stop Williams if his life depended on it. And he's actually a pass-first point guard anyway. Williams is almost as good a shooter as Heinrichs, a better overall scorer, a better passer and a better defender. I think the question is strategy, which is hard because the international game is so weird. The three point line is huge on both sides of the ball. So do you take a lock down defender to put on the opponent's best outside shooter, or do you take your own shooter? I think it's a tough call. My opinion is that since it's hard to put the ball in the low post because of the wide key, you need to get open shots driving and kicking. The more I think about it, I think I take Williams and Kidd to run the offense. I think the US needs to outscore teams because that's what will put the fear back in the international teams.

 

Not directly related to the US team, but Lebanon plays Iran tomorrow morning for the Asian Championship and a spot in the Olympics--a matchup against either of those teams could add a distracting political angle for us.

 

Okay US has a chance of playing against Iraq in the confeds cup and now team usa has the chance of playing Iran at Beijing 2008.

Very interesting

 

It looks like the US games will be televised on ESPN2. Was hoping that some of the other games would be on ESPN Deportes, but there isn't anything listed.

 

If we go by previous tournaments all the US games were on ESPN/ESPN2 and a lot of the other games were on NBA TV.

 

This select team should get rocked by the senior team, no doubt. I am remembering those old years where the select team almost came close lol ... Better not happen this time around.